1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope system for use in a medical practice and the like, more particularly to an endoscope system capable of performing image transfer for a finding, diagnosis, or the like of an affected area and also capable of performing laser light transfer for a treatment or the like of the affected area.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-210942, filed on Aug. 19, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of Related Art
Endoscopes using a fiberscope have been commercialized. In addition, a laser medical treatment method has also been commercialized in which laser light is transmitted to an affected area of the patient through an optical fiber to treat the affected area.
A conventional laser treatment system uses an endoscope for performing an observation and an optical fiber for laser light transmission. The optical fiber is an entity different from the endoscope. In this system, an image of an affected area is firstly checked through the endoscope. Then, based on the image information, an end portion of the optical fiber for laser light transmission is guided to a position suitable for irradiation of laser light onto the affected area, and laser light is irradiated onto this position.
In the system, the positioning accuracy when the end portion of the optical fiber for laser light transmission is directed to the affected area heavily depends on the skill and judgment of a practitioner. This may make it difficult to perform a laser medical treatment.
Therefore, there is proposed an endoscope system with a complex-type optical fiber in which an optical fiber for image transmission and an optical fiber for laser light transmission are combined (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-237436).
FIG. 3 shows a complex-type optical fiber for use in the endoscope system. The complex-type optical fiber 31 has a multitude of optical fibers for image transmission 33 bundled around a large-diameter optical fiber 32 for laser light transmission. These are integrated. The large-diameter optical fiber 32 is made of a core 34 and a cladding 35.
In the endoscope system, the large-diameter optical fiber 32 and the optical fibers for image transmission 33 are integrated. Therefore, it is possible to irradiate laser light correctly onto an affected area without allowing the direction of radiation of the laser light to be out of the observed region.
However, in the above complex-type optical fiber 31, the large-diameter optical fiber 32 that is not involved in image transmission is integrated. Therefore, a blank portion is produced at the center of the image obtained from the optical fibers for image transmission 33.